It was several weeks after Naraku's grand deception.
The clay-pot miko had succeeded in dragging his foolish brother to hell.
The monk and the taijia girl were still searching for Naraku. They had to. They were the only ones left to, out of the Inu Gumi.
Rin was still in Naraku's tainted clutches.
Which was the reason Sesshomaru hunted today.
Naraku's incarnations and various servants were out in considerable force, perhaps because InuYasha was gone, and Naraku felt that he had nothing to fear from those of his enemies that remained.
Sesshomaru was going to prove the bastard hanyou wrong. He was going to get one of Naraku's detachments alone, and, if necessary, torture the information he required out of them.
Apparently, the Fates approved of this mission.
In a gust of wind, the witch, Kagura, descended before him. He tensed, ready to act.
And then, Rin peaked out from behind the wind witch. "Lord Sesshomaru!" she cried, catching sight of him.
He was silent, watching Naraku's second-born. The little girl ran to him. Kagura did nothing to stop her.
Sesshomaru was forcibly reminded of another time, when he'd been just as confused as he was now. With the miko, when he saw her wounds. His question was the same now.
"Why?"
Kagura shrugged. "Call it a favor. Perhaps one day, I'll call on you to return it." She lifted into the air on her feather, and she was gone.
Sesshomaru wasted a single moment watching her leave, making sure it wasn't a trick, before turning his attention to the child currently attached to his leg.
"Rin, are you hurt?"
The girl shook her head. "No, Lord Sesshomaru. Lady Kagome took care of Rin." She frowned. "But Lady Kagome says her name isn't Lady Kagome. She says that she is Lady Koaru…Why is Lady Kagome with that mean man, Lord Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru didn't reply, simply holding the girl tighter.
Oh, how scandalized Jaken would be if he could see them now. The great Lord Sesshomaru, indulging in such a un-noble, ningen activity as a hug.
Ah, the impropriety.